Snow-melting apparatus



T. McGlLL.

SNOW MELTING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 9. 19x9.

1,360,238. Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

IN VEN TOR.

Tho/274132146 271.

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UNITED STATES THOMAS McGILIi, or SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

SN OW-MELTING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented N V, 23, 1920.

Application filed October 9, 1919. Serial No. 329,545.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I THOMAS L IGGILL a citizen of the United states, residing at an Francisco, county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Snow-Melting Apparatus for Use in fdidewalks and Roadways, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved snow melting apparatus, the object of which to pro vide means whereby the snow may be accumulated in a suitable receptacle and melted therein, from which receptacle it runs to the sewer. i

The further object of the invention is to provide a receptacle which is capable of being covered over when not in use to allow traffic to pass thereover, but which when in use will have a suitable guard to prevent pedestrians and others from falling into the receptacle and which guard is also used as a handle for the purpose of stirring the mass of snow in the receptacle, to cause it tosettie down upon the heating coils and be melted.

.itnother object of the invention to provide a receptacle for the melting of the snow which will have a screen bottom to prevent dirt and papers from falling into the sewer should such materials be dropped into the snow melting receptacle along with the snow.

Anotherobject of the 1nvent1on 1s to pror vide a snow melting apparatus which will have a screen bottom so positioned as to prevent the n ass of snow from falling below it so as to keep the sewer connection clean and to provide means whereby the snow may be heated from below. The ob ject of this is to give the water free access to the sewer and eliminate any danger of freezing the mass of snow collected in the receptacle.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which the same reference numeral is applied to the same portion throughout, but am aware that there may be modifications thereof.

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the complete apparatus ready for use.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the guard rail and rod used for stirring the snow.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the guard rails.

Fig. at is a plan view of the spider used for supporting the screen and for shaking the snow mass in the receptacle.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the spider shown in Fig. 4 with the screen in place thereon.

Thenumeral 1. indicates the side-walk be- -low the level of which the receptacle 2 is installed. In the present instance the sidewalk is of the type in which it is supported other than upon the ground level and the receptacle 2 supported from the sidewalk by means of suitable angle irons 3 in such number as may be required.

The bottom of the receptacle is semi spherical as indicated at l and is connected with the sewer pipe 5. Extending upwardly from the bottom are two legs 6 and 7 which support a bearing 8 upon which the hub of the spider 9 rests. The spider 9 has a hub 10 with two forwardly projecting lugs 11 and 12, in order to enable the street sweeper to rotate the spider sufficiently to jar the snow or shake it down upon the heating coils. l

Resting upon the spider are a plurality of screens 13 in the present instanceeight being used in order to enable them to be readily taken out from the top of the receptaclc 2 when the same is to be cleaned. The periphery of the spider 9 rests upon lugs 14 and 15, secured to the receptacle 2 where the semi-spherical bottom 4- joins the sides.

Near the top of the receptacle there is a ring 15, which is held in a central position by means of suitable braces 16 and 17, extending to the sides of the receptacle.

A wheel 16 with handles 17 and 18 and hub 19 is used for the purpose of preventing pedestrians from falling into the receptacle. This wheel is substantially as large as the top of the receptacle 2 and it is supported by means of a rod 20 to which the wheel is connected by means of its hub and by means of the braces 21 and 22 and said rod extends into the hubof the spider 9. .A. slot 23 therein receiving the lugs 11 and 12 to enable the spider 9 and its screen plates to be rotated.

Extending into the side of the receptacle 2 is a steam pipe 25.. This steam pipe has suitable covering 26 and it is connected with a series of coils 27 which coils are provided with openings to allow the escape of steam to melt the snow thrown into the receptacle. The coils are supported by means of brackets man-hole cover.

Ind

'28 and 29 secured inside the receptacle .2

be used, the cover is taken off and the rod 20 is placed in position. The wheel 16 preventing-pedestrians tromaccidentally stepping into thesnow receptacle. The snow is then shoveled into the receptacle and is ineltedby the steam passing from the pipe 25,01 it it should pile up therein when melting it may be agitated bv turning the spider 9 and thereby caused to drop down upon the steam coils to be melted.

WVhat 11 claim is as follows, but various modifications may be made in the construction shown in the drawings and above particularly described "form, within the purview of my invention.

' 1. 'A snow'melting apparatus for sidewalks and road-ways comprising a receptacle adapted-tobe sunk below the side-- i walk level, a screen support in the lower portion of the receptacle, arod for rotating sald screen support and a guard rail connected w1t'h'sa1d rod above the level of the receptacle to prevent pedestrians from stepping llltOSillCl receptacle.

2 A snow melting apparatus for side 'walksand road-ways comprising a receptacle, adapted to be sunk below the level of the side-walk, a heating coil therein, a screen support for the snow below the heating coil, a rod ior rotating the screen support, and a handle above the receptacle for rotating the rod.

3. A snow melting apparatus tor idcwalks and road-ways comprising a receptacle adapted to be sunk below the level of the side-walk, a. heating coil therein, a screen support below the heating coil. a sewer connection for the receptacle a rod for rotating 1 the screen support and a guard rail connected with said rod for preventing pede-- trians from falling into the recepta le and adapted to be used as a handlc for rotating the screen.

4:. A snow melting apparatus for sidewalks and road-ways, comprising a rel-cptacle adapted to be sunk below the level of the side-walk. a heating coil therein. a screen support for the snow below the heating coil. a rod for rotating the screen support and dctachable tl'lerefroin. said rod extending above the level of the side-walk and having a guard rail thereon also adapted to act as a handle for rotating the screen.

5. A snow melting apparatus l'or .wi lcwalks and roadways comprising a I'm-c1 tacle adapted to be sunl: below the level of the side-walk, a heating coil adjacent the lower portion of the receptacle, :1 screcn support for the snow below the heating coil. a sewer connection at the bottom (it the re ceptacle, a rod tor rotating the screen support and a guard rail connected with said rod above the level of the side-walk.

6. A snow melting apparatus for side walks and road-ways comprising a l'rccp tacle adapted to be positioned below the lcrcl of the side-walk, means to support and agitate the mass of snow placed therein. a heat ing coil in the lower portion of the receptacle and a sewer connection thcret'or.

THOMAS MoGllil). 

